Ellis Hooks was born
in Bayminette, Alabama, between Birmingham and Montgomery. He is the
13th of 16 children born to sharecroppers. According to legend, he
didn't own a pair of shoes until he was eight.

Like so many Soul and Blues singers Hooks began singing in the
church choir by became drawn to the great secular music of the time.
At the age of 15 left home to make it as a musician. He was
absically homeless, sleeping where he could and getting the
occasional performing gig. He used to also sing out in the park and
it was at Central Park Diana Ross heard him and asked him to come
for a recording sessions but Hooks was a no show.

Instead he paid for a one way ticket to Europe where he played
street corners, trying to get noticed but ended up returning to New
York in 1995. His break next came when he met record producer Jon Tiven
who was impressed after Hooks auditioned for him (Hooks arrived with
another singer who didn't wow Tiven).

Tiven produced his
terrific debut, "Undeniable" first released in Europe only in
2002. "Up Your Mind" was released stateside by Evidence
Records in 2003 quickly followed up by "Uncomplicated" in European
markets in 2004. Evidence picked this one up, re-titled it
with extra tracks as "Hand Of God" in 2005 in North America.
Evidence released three more more LPs on Hooks. His contract
complete it took another seven years for another record and he went
the Do-It-Yourself route with "Black Market" in 2014.
His most recent, "Needle In A Haystack" was released by Blues
Blvd in 2015.

Album Discography

"Undeniable" (Zane 2002)

1 Something For
Everyone
2 Everything's Falling Around Me
3 I Release You
4 Blaze Up The Town
5 I Been There
6 Your Love Is Too Strong
7 Undeniable
8 Gypsy Head
9 Hole In My Heart
10 Waiting For The Rapture
11 To Get Close To You
12 Your Last Chance
13 Burnt By The Flame Of Love

*****
Ellis Hooks was in New York in 1995 when he met producer Jon Tiven. Hooks accompanied
another singer to an audition at Tiven's studio. Tiven didn't care for that
singer but coaxed Hooks himself to audition. The result? Well it
took a minute (seven years) but yonder came a marvelous debut of
caustic Soul Blues and Soul by an old school-style singer- with rasp
and sheer power that frightens these catchy melodies into
submission. Being familiar with Hooks' career since this LP it seems
probably that these songs are the result of years worth of writing
(in the same way Graham Parker & The Rumour's perfect first album, "Howlin'
Wind" seemed like a instant "greatest hits" album) leading up to
this moment just for the sheer quality of them and what a hard act
to follow this album became for Hooks. Songs like "Burnt By The
Flame Of Love", "Gypsy Head", "Something For Everyone" and "Blaze Up
This Town" are sizzling- all 13 cuts are even to this day riveting,
fresh and among his very best. I can'r help but (try) and
sing-a-long when I listen to this one. CATCHY.

"Up Your Mind" (Evidence 2003)

Ridin With Fire
Up Your Mind
Eight Months Ago Today
Holding Out My Love
Man Of The Blues
Controlling Picasso
Still Waiting
Last Chance For Happiness
Down For The Last Time
Jessie Got Shot
Black Wolf Bone
How Long
To Get You Back In My Arms Again

"Uncomplicated" (Artemis 2004)

Gonna Take Some Time
Forty Days & Forty Nights
Can't Take This No More
Sweet Justina
Uncomplicated
The Hand Of God
She Locked The Door
I Don't Want To Go Home
The Idea Of You
Never Give Up On Your Love
It's A Hassle
You Can't Change Me
Slide The Gun
M' Baby
That's Not What I Need

"Hand Of God" (Evidence 2004)

1 Gonna Take Some Time
2 Forty Days And Forty Nights
3 Uncomplicated
4 She Locked The Door
5 It's A Hassle
6 The Hand Of God
7 Never Give Up On Your Love
8 The Idea Of You
9 Ready This Time
10 Slide The Gun
11 Its Not Me
12 Thats Not What I Need
13 M'Baby
14 Sweet Justina
15 Let Love Do It
16 Can't Take This No More
17 I Don't Want To Go Home

***1/2 Ellis
Hooks was in New York in 1995 when he met producer Jon Tiven. Hooks accompanied
another singer to an audition at Tiven's studio. Tiven didn't care for that
singer but coaxed Hooks himself to audition. The result? Well, this is album
number 4 produced and written by Tiven (with wife Sally). Hooks is a dynamic
singer- a powerful gritty soul & rock-shoutin' voice that converges between John
Fogerty and Wilson Pickett. "Godson Of Soul" is a raucous, manically-energetic R
& B record with swamp undertones somewhat similar to another record Tiven
produced from this year, "Think Of Me" by Little Milton. Guests include Steve
Cropper on Guitar, Memphis Horns’ Wayne Jackson, drummer Chester Thompson, and
even Bobby Womack. A bubbling gumbo pot of styles- pop, rock, soul, swamp blues
and a pinch of country music. There's also some fatback funk on "High Roller" a
sweaty workout with staccato horns and sinewy guitar lines. "If God Got You To
It" is a gospelish rock groover with the refrain "If God got you to it, then
God'll get you through it" replete with vamping female backups. Marty Brown
joins Hooks for the honky-tonking "Chainsaw". "You Changed My Life" is a catchy
pop/rocker with a radio-friendly chorus you can sing-along to after hearing only
once. "Show Me Some Love" is Memphis funky with chanka-lankin' guitar and in the
pocket drums. Legendary Stax man Cropper co-wrote and joins the fun for "Was It
Something I Said?", which even features a pre-recorded answering machine message
from Bobby Womack!. There's also a ripping acoustic slide guitar jam
"Sidetracked" near the end. All 14 songs were all co-written by Hooks with
mostly the Tivens that never lets up. I'd suggest Hooks put the reins on that
voice a few times and try some slow Southern Soul to balance things out next
time.

"Another Saturday Morning" (Evidence 2007)

*** I'd give this record a rave just for the fact it's packed
fair and square with 16 new tracks (!) all written by producer Jon Tiven, wife Sally Tiven and Ellis Hooks.
A lotta bang for yo' buck. The Tivens have written and produced terrific discs by
Hooks ("Godson Of Soul") Wilson Pickett, Sir Mack Rice & most
recently the four-award winning (W.C. Handy's) "Think Of Me"
by Little Milton. There's a winning formula. We got the same raspy
Soul voice, punchy rhythm, real ingredients (organ, horns, guitar) that
worked before and while the songs contain perhaps less immediately
gratifying hooks (no pun intended) the results show there's plenty fuel
left in the tank. "Black Dirt" kicks up
mighty dust with an authentic Stax groove and Hooks' Soul shoutin'
that makes this the "Shotgun" for our time. "Your River" starts with a chiming hybrid of acoustic guitar
and sitar that builds up and delivers a subtle but rewarding refrain
upon multiple listens. Those last few words are key to discovering this
record's less obvious charms. Sure it sounds great from the jump
but do the songs stick and stay? At 16 tracks there's a lot to digest
here. I was a bit underwhelmed my first few listens (the first draft of
this review was pretty damn negative when I look back) but I noticed it
just kept getting better and better. Suffice it to say I enjoy this
effort just as much as the previous LPs. This stuff ain't no soft, safe,
easy listening, sip-on-your-wine music. No way. Much like Hooks
considers himself this album is a "Bad Mofo". There's nobody else out
there right now dealing out the MF'ing grit the way Hooks and the Tivens
are. Hooks sings "I'm a bad mutha" and that's the real deal. (The album
is ranked #10 in our Best Of 2007
Retro-Soul/Soul Blues List)

1 Needle In A Haystack
2 Train 2 Train
3 To You Who Have Wronged Me
4 Los Angeles
5 Time is A Mofo
6 Live The Day
7 Now You Know
8 I Stand I Scream
9 Shortcuts To Infinity
10 Put Down Your Needles
11 Another Planet
12 Follow The Seasons
13 America, I'm Coming Home